What type of mouthparts do aphids and cicadas have?

• A. Chewing
• B. Lapping
• C. Piercing-sucking
• D. Sponging

Answer: (C)

Aphids and cicadas feed by piercing plant tissues and sucking the sap, using piercing-sucking mouthparts. Their mouthparts are a bundle of slender stylets formed mainly by the maxillae, sometimes assisted by mandibles, that drill into plant tissue to reach the sap and then form a channel to suck it up. This feeding method is efficient for accessing phloem or xylem fluids with minimal chewing of the plant tissue itself.

This differs from chewing mouthparts, which are used to bite and grind solid plant material, and from lapping mouthparts, which are used by some nectar feeders to lick liquids, or sponging mouthparts, used by certain flies to sponge up liquids.